NSA Whistleblower Revealed

On Sunday The Guardian published an interview with Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who exposed the National Security Agency massive domestic surveillance program.

Snowden is a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA. In 2007 he was posted to Geneva under diplomatic cover. He states,

Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I realised that I was part of something that was doing far more harm than good.

For the last four years Snowden has been working for the National Security Agency in Hawaii under various outside contractors. His position gave him high security access, and he finally decided he must expose the NSA’s massive surveillance program of the American public.

Three weeks ago he left Hawaii for Hong Kong where he remains in seclusion. There he met with the reporter from The Guardian.The Guardian has released Snowden’s identity at his own request.

In the interview, Snowden states,

My sole motive is to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them.

He acknowledges that he had “a very comfortable life” in Hawaii with a salary of around $200,000 a year. But he says,

I’m willing to sacrifice all of that because I can’t in good conscience allow the US government to destroy privacy, internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they’re secretly building.

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About politspectatorEdward Clayton grew up in the US but has lived in Canada for the last 4 decades. He is a long time peace activist and committed to issues of social justice and good government. He reports on Canadian, American, and global politics from a Canadian perspective.

Edward Clayton grew up in the US but has lived in Canada for the last 4 decades. He is a long time peace activist and committed to issues of social justice and good government. He reports on Canadian, American, and global politics from a Canadian perspective.